The field of this invention relates to devices and methods used for removing undesired particulate matter.
Over a period of time ore coal or ore mining cars become clogged with packed fines or dust and, it is necessary to remove the packed particles in order to fully utilize the storage space in the cars. Insofar as known, mining cars have been cleaned by four methods. First, manual scoops or shovels were used to loosen packed particulate matter within the mining cars, however this proved to be a time-consuming operation which did not satisfactorily clean the cars. A secondary method of cleaning the cars was to lift the mining cars from their tracks, overturn the cars, and remove the particulate matter by banging on the bottom and sides of the cars with hammers. This method has an inherent disadvantage that each time the car is turned over, the wheel bearings become unseated and consequently require replacement. A third method includes attempting to dislodge the packed material within the mining car with water and flushing it through drainage holes in the bottom of the car. The difficulty with this approach lies in the problem of the holes clogging with particulate matter during this flushing in operation. Lastly, use of a vacuum source for removing the compacted particulate matter has been attempted however, inasmuch as the material is too compacted to be removed by vacuum source alone, this approach has been unworkable.